Edinburgh lift 1872 Challenge Cup

28th Dec 2007, 22:07

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Ben Cairns: Edinburgh's match-winner

Former Glasgow star Ben Cairns stuck the boot into his old team-mates as Edinburgh notched a dramatic 35-31 injury-time win in a seven-try Murrayfield thriller, to lift the 1872 Challenge Cup and score five precious Magners League points on Friday.

Former Glasgow star Ben Cairns stuck the boot into his old team-mates as Edinburgh notched a dramatic 35-31 injury-time win in a seven-try Murrayfield thriller, to lift the 1872 Challenge Cup and score five precious Magners League points on Friday.

Dan Parks looked to have ended a 27-year hoodoo as the visitors recovered from a 15-point deficit to grab the lead two minutes from time of this Magners League clash.

But the Warriors' hopes of a first win in the capital since 1980 were dashed when Cairns nipped over deep into injury time to settle a ding-dong inter-city clash.

The Gunners were first to strike but Phil Godman breathed a huge sigh of relief as he watched his penalty sneak over off a post after being blown off course by a gust of wind.

Glasgow responded with a period of pressure sparked by Bernardo Stortoni's enterprising burst forward.

Eventually the visitors forced an error from their rivals and Parks easily slotted the equalising penalty.

However, a monster effort by Godman from near the left touchline restored Edinburgh's advantage as eagle-eyed referee Andrew Small pounced on every infringement.

The whistler penalised Glasgow's forwards again for collapsing a scrum in front of their own posts and Godman had a much simpler task to stretch the capital side's lead.

And moments later the Gunners notched the game's first try in dramatic fashion.